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DAVE SCHERBENCO / for the CITIZENS' VOICE
The Children's Service Center of Wyoming Valley wants to buy the former rectory of the St. Therese's Church in Wilkes-Barre and use it as a group home for up to eight people.

WILKES-BARRE - Most of the crowd at Wednesday's zoning hearing board meeting made their feelings about a proposed group home in South Wilkes-Barre well known.

After each opponent of the plan spoke their piece, the assembly in the chambers clapped in approval.

They ended up getting what they wanted: The board denied an application from Children's Service Center of Wyoming Valley for a special exception to establish a group home in a single-family-home residential neighborhood.

The nonprofit company wants to buy the former rectory of now-demolished St. Therese's Church at 25 Old River Road and use it as a group home for up to eight people, aged 13 to 21, according to its application.

Michael Hopkins, president and CEO of Children's Service Center, did not say whether he plans to appeal the decision or look elsewhere for a site. He said he would talk to the company's attorney to discuss the next step.

Hopkins, attorney Mark Bufalino and other CSC employees and supporters made their case before the zoning hearing board. CSC currently operates a group home for male and female adolescents at 137 E. Noble St. in Nanticoke. The company wants to move that location to Wilkes-Barre because the city offers more educational opportunities and more jobs for residents, Hopkins said.

Most residents at the proposed new facility would be 13 to 18 years old, but residents could be up to 21 if they cannot find another place to live, Hopkins said.

Residents come to CSC from other social service agencies, mental health hospitals or residential treatment facilities, said Summer Krochta, the director of residential services. Residents must choose to come to the home, instead of being mandated, she said.

While there, they follow a behavior modification program designed to reward good behavior. Residents aren't undergoing drug or alcohol treatment at the home, although they could have treatment for those issues at other CSC facilities, she said. Staff members number from two at night to six or more for programs during the day.

"If they can't deal with the freedom, we don't accept them," Krochta said.

Opponents said the home did not belong in their residential neighborhood.

The problem was not with CSC's reputation or its work, but with the special zoning exception the company was seeking, said local optometrist Brian O'Donnell.

"It's simply not in the character of the neighborhood," he said "What's next? What happens when funding dries up and they move out?"

Others talked about their worries that crime was becoming more prevalent in the neighborhood and that a group home would not help their efforts to maintain the area.

Theron Solomon, who lives near the site, said police had gone to CSC's group home on South Franklin Street 27 times since the beginning of the year.

Hopkins said after the meeting that Solomon's numbers actually counted the number of police calls to the South Franklin Street home since January 2013, not the beginning of 2014.

Krochta said even a minor issue can prompt the center to call authorities because of an agreement with the company that pays for treatment. If a resident goes to a friend's house after school instead of back to the center, for example, they call 911.

The point, Solomon said in his testimony to the board, was that those were examples of kids not following the program.

Even the terms used to describe the facility were in dispute as different camps organized their response online. A Facebook event organized by opponents of the facility called it a "halfway house." A group of supporters referred to the "CSC Residential Program for Teens."

At the meeting's end, the zoning board voted to deny the application.

bwellock@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2051, @CVBillW

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